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6 tips to boost your interviewing skills: Part One

Prior to sitting down at a table with a hiring manager, make sure you've prepared properly. The night before, print out directions to the office, a few versions of your resume and notes you can go over before the interview begins.

To help you practice for your interview, we recommend following these three pieces of advice:

1. Practice nonverbal communication

Practicing nonverbal communication is difficult because you often can't tell whether you're coming across the way you want to. However, it's one of the key factors in determining whether you get the job.

Patti Wood, a body language expert and author, believes people give out more indirect signals than they realize. "A candidate can give out thousands of non-verbal cues within the first minute of meeting a hiring manager, and those messages make more of an impact than those words that you use during the interview."

2. Practice interviewing out loud

Before you practice with anyone else, do so out loud in front of a mirror. This will first help you verbally communicate your positions to a recruiter. At the same time, you can see how you present yourself when providing that information.

3. Dress for the job

When you're first interviewing with Colonial Domestic, it's recommended to dress in formal attire. However, when you meet with a family, the dress code often changes. It might be best for a housekeeper to dress in casual wear because he or she won't be donning formal clothes while working. A chauffeur should always dress in his or her best suit when meeting a family.

Prior to meeting with a family, ask your recruiter what he or she feels is appropriate clothing to wear to the interview.